Celsus

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I have to disagree with this. These are gross generalisations, of course, but then the OP was a gross generalisation as well.

Firstly, leadership in hunter gatherer societies (as they exist today, and there is little reason they have changed significantly from our ancestors of prehistory) is usually de facto. That is, the leaders are the ones who are both strong and experienced, prove their leadership by ability rather than some sort of right.

Secondly, hunter-gatherer societies do not gather food surplus due to their nomadic lifestyle. There would be nothing to convey any sort of advantage on a religious figure. This might be possible under pastoral nomadism, but only tendentially. If a religious figure were to rely on goodwill so as to avoid work, then their grasp of power is really quite insecure.

Thirdly, power structures in these types of societies are not really power structures as we understand them. Rather, they are more akin to defering to authority in matters of important decision making for the tribe. Obviously, some form of clairvoyance conveys immediate advantage, but this seems to be reserved to the elders in most tribes, who are probably actually using experience. Fake clairvoyance would be highly risky for a young upstart (not to mention he would be laughed at).

Hence, while supernatural belief might have existed, the organisation of religion (and hence a priestly class accumulating benefits from society) was impossible until agriculture, surpluses, fixed hierarchies and all that came about. A proto-shaman would not have anything to gain by simply inventing religion in a hunter-gatherer society.


Joel


P.S. I prefer:
Kid: "Daddy, where did we come from?"

Dad: "Err... ummm... I'll get back to you."

Dad (next day): Well son, it all happened when your (insert ancestor here)...(insert creation myth here)...by...(insert deity here)." (chuckle)

Mom: "Honey, have you been telling Junior your silly tales again? You know how I feel about these stories you make up."

Dad: "Hey look on the bright side dear, he doesn't ask us to sleep next to him to protect him from the dark anymore, since I told him (insert deity) is watching over him."

Mom: "Ok, but you make sure to tell him it was just a joke when he gets older."

[ November 02, 2002: Message edited by: joejoejoe ]</p>